This invention relates to a composition and method useful for enhancing the performance of a gasoline-fueled, spark ignited internal combustion engine. More particularly, the invention relates to a composition and method useful for enhancing the performance of such an engine used to power a transportation vehicle and preferably to increase the mileage per unit of fuel obtained by the transportation vehicle.
Gasoline compositions are useful for fueling certain spark ignited internal combustion engines, particularly such engines associated with transportation vehicles. Various additives have been suggested to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of such fuels. For example, certain oxygenates, such as alcohols and ethers, have been suggested as additives for gasoline compositions. However, such materials are already partially combusted (oxidized) and so the amount of power per unit of oxygenate is often reduced relative to that of hydrocarbon fuels. Other additives which have been suggested include one or more petroleum fractions which have a relatively high octane number and a relatively broad boiling range. Thus, although the fraction as a whole has a high octane number, it is often composed of numerous individual compounds some of which have lower octane numbers than the base gasoline fuel to which it is added, and/or have other detrimental effects on the performance and/or mileage per unit of fuel of the engine in which the additive is used.